In-depth Investigation of Project Planning and Control Software Package Application in the Construction Industry of Iran

Inefficient project planning and control have been identified as the main contributor to the reduced performance of the construction industry in Iran. Meanwhile, improper use of planning and control software packages (PPCSPs) in these projects can be a key factor in this reduced performance. This study investigates different aspects of the PPCSP applications to draw the role of PPCSPs in the planning and control processes of construction projects in the country using a survey-based method. It is found that only 32.5% of the construction companies in Iran highly or very highly use PPCSPs. The low level of skill and the lack of management support are two main contributing factors to this reduced PPCSP application. The quality of the academic and vocational project management training programs and the lack of dependable PPCSP technical support are argued as possible sources of the issue. The identified PPCSP pattern in Iran is compared with the results reported for several developed and in-transition countries. This comparison reveals that Iran and in-transition countries fall deeply behind in employing PPCSPs in their construction projects compared to the developed countries.